Honoring Those Who Marched

On the 11th day of the 11th month, we honor those who served in the military. I spent Saturday enjoying a Veterans Parade Volksmarch in Vancouver, Washington, USA. It started at the local VA Medical Center and passed through the Army Cemetery pictured, where three Medal of Honor honorees are buried, including First Sergeant Moses Williams, an African-American "Buffalo Soldier" honored for his service in the Indian Wars.

After passing through the Vancouver Barracks and Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, the route crossed the newly-dedicated Vancouver Land Bridge. The land bridge was designed by Maya Lin, who designed the Vietnam Memorial in Washington DC, and Johnpaul Jones, as part of the multi-site Confluence Project. Each time I cross it, more artwork and landscaping has been added. It provides a safe pedestrian crossing from the Columbia River to the historic area. But beyond that, it celebrates Native American cultures, the land and river in the subtle but powerful way we have seen in Maya Lin's other projects. She is a designer who understands that how people move through a space can become an emotional experience. Photos of the Vancouver Land Bridge

I owe my walking life to the American military personnel who brought the sport of volkssport walking to the United States back in the 1970's. The expertise in event organizing by these veterans has kept the sport alive for over 30 years.
Military Walkers
Photo © Wendy Bumgardner